SHARJAH, (Pakistan Point News - 15th Jul, 2026) The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), in collaboration with the Sharjah Agricultural and Livestock Production Establishment (EKTIFA), held the Interactive Council for Service Development for the Food Industries Sector at Mleiha Wheat Farm in the Emirate of Sharjah.
The council supports the objectives of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, the Make it in the Emirates initiative, and the UAE government’s direction on the Agentic AI programme.
It brought together multiple investors, factories and companies operating in the sector, alongside representatives from government and private entities in Sharjah.
The council comes in line with the Ministry’s approach to strengthening direct engagement with the industrial sector, listening to customers, and involving them in the design of government services, with a focus on plans to deploy Agentic AI in the services provided – helping to enhance the experience of investors, industrial and service companies, and suppliers, raise service efficiency, and support the growth and competitiveness of vital and priority industries.
The council focused on discussing factories’ needs and solutions related to enhancing the customer experience, and exploring opportunities to develop future services that support the shift toward more proactive, efficient services capable of understanding customer needs and facilitating their journey – as part of the Ministry’s ongoing program of interactive customer councils across the UAE’s emirates, aimed at strengthening the industrial business environment.
Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Undersecretary of MoIAT, said, “In line with the Ministry’s strategic objectives and the Make it in the emirates initiative, we are focused on listening to our customers from industrial and service companies, and we are keen to go out into the field and meet them across the UAE’s emirates, to hear their proposals in order to design services that are more efficient and closely aligned with the needs of the industrial sector. We are focusing on plans to deploy Agentic AI and turning direct dialogue with factories into a practical input for developing services and enhancing the customer experience.”
He added, “The food industries sector is one of the vital sectors supporting food security and sustainable industrial growth in the UAE. Through our partnership with EKTIFA and companies in the private sector, we discussed opportunities to develop services that help reduce time and effort, simplify procedures, and support factories’ capacity to grow and expand. We continue to develop our services by deploying Agentic AI as a tool to raise efficiency and enhance the industrial investor journey.”
He also commended the role of EKTIFA in providing a direct dialogue platform with companies and factories in the Emirate of Sharjah, and its impact in giving the Ministry’s team the opportunity to understand and listen to customers’ needs and direct them to the appropriate information and procedures – noting that these councils form part of an ongoing national journey to develop government services in partnership with industrial sector companies.
Dr. Eng. Khalifa Musabah Al Tunaiji, CEO of EKTIFA, said, "EKTIFA is committed to supporting the efforts of the Emirate of Sharjah and the UAE to strengthen sustainable food security and achieve greater self-sufficiency in organic food products. We are developing high-impact projects across agricultural and livestock production and adopting sustainable practices that enhance the efficiency of local production. Hosting the Interactive Council for the Development of Food Industries Services reflects a practical model of collaboration between government entities and the industrial sector, fostering the exchange of expertise and the development of services that support the sector."
He added, "We value our strategic partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in creating a direct dialogue with food manufacturers, investors, and partners. This engagement enables us to better understand the sector's needs and translate them into development opportunities that support the growth of the UAE's food industries. This meeting also underscores the importance of aligning service development with the growth of the food industry while empowering national products to compete globally, further enhancing the competitiveness of the UAE's food industry."
He also highlighted the pivotal role of Sharjah's food security ecosystem in leveraging advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to enhance the quality of food industries, advance food security projects, and improve production efficiency and sustainability, thereby contributing to the preservation of natural resources. He noted that collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology represents a strategic step towards advancing the food industries ecosystem, strengthening supply chain resilience, and supporting innovation and advanced manufacturing, further reinforcing the UAE and the Emirate of Sharjah as leading models in achieving sustainable food security.
MoIAT began its journey of customer councils in the Emirate of Dubai and is currently extending it to the Emirate of Sharjah, with plans to continue across other emirates – aiming to build services closer to factories’ needs and more supportive of national industrial growth.
The council featured direct dialogue on the key opportunities for developing services related to the food industries sector.
Participants also discussed the services most suited to development through Agentic AI technologies, and the opportunities that could help reduce time and effort for customers, simplify procedures, and deliver more instant and proactive services – supporting improved access to information and requirements, and aiding decision-making for investors and factories.
The discussions also highlighted the vital role of Mleiha Wheat Farm as a site reflecting the development of the UAE's agricultural and food sector.
MoIAT, in collaboration with its partners, continues to develop the enablers supporting the growth of the industrial sector, enhancing the resilience and sustainability of supply chains through improving the business environment, developing services, supporting the adoption of advanced technology, and raising productivity and competitiveness.
